


little flowers

by gotseventeenclouds



Category: AB6IX (Band)
Genre: 2woo, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Eventual Romance, Lowercase, M/M, fantasy but modern, idk how to tag help, obv woong is a fairy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2020-05-14 16:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19276891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotseventeenclouds/pseuds/gotseventeenclouds
Summary: maybe what woojin saw was an illusion. maybe it was merely a trick of the mist drawn by the trickling of the rain. maybe the wisp of a boy with almost snow white hair and fluttering, shimmering butterfly-like wings was all in his mind’s eye.





	1. Chapter 1

the sun sets prettily in hues of pinks and purples and oranges and woojin thinks it’s probably one of the prettiest things he’s ever seen in awhile. he checks his phone and it tells him the time is 5:45 PM. he lets a sigh escape his lips as he goes home from work in a stroll to admire the sky. it isn’t usual he finds time for the calm and quiet.

when woojin was younger, he’d visit his grandmother’s cottage in the middle of nowhere and play by himself in the woods of a seemingly always dewy forest. he remembers the lushness of all the greens, how every crystalline little drop of water would look on the leaves, the vibrancy of all the white little snowball-esque things, magenta speckles dipped with yellow, marbled bells dotted violets splattered out in random areas. no matter how scared he was of going on an adventure all by himself, the boredom would always get to him and his love for adventure would never allow him to spend the day without going out at least once a day.

the inaudible click-clack of his sneakers come to halt as he reaches the building of his apartment. and with one last look at the sky, he bids it farewell and enters.

 -

when his life had gotten so dull he can no longer remember. woojin dealt with his life much like everyone else, he went to school and studied and had gotten himself a job, though with difficulty, in a field he loved, _loves._ because woojin knows that he will forever love dancing. teaching kids something he loved was great, too. what he was doing now as a profession isn’t exactly what he imagined himself to be doing before, but he’s grateful enough and content for what it is. it was fun at first, exciting because it was something new, but then came by days then months then years then everything became _dulldulldull_ and he can’t help but feel a part of him is missing.

his silver chopsticks clang to the floor as he drops it, with a burning tongue he picks it up and can’t help the little tear that wants to escape his left eye at the heat he feels spreading in his mouth. after downing his water and eating some ice, he bends down to pick up his silver chopsticks, places it on the kitchen counter. the cheap light of his little kitchen space hits the silver sticks and he doesn’t know why but he stares at it and while he does he hears a pit-a-pat and a splish-splash, sees muddied shoes and a trail of silver flowers and then it just...stops.

with a shake of his head, woojin dumps his dirty utensils in the sink to be washed sometime later.

 -

he didn’t know it yet, but that day would be the last time woojin would see his grandmother and greet all the flowers and plants. it was raining, hard. that didn’t mean woojin wouldn’t go exploring though. he had on his bright yellow raincoat and matching rain boots. he meant to go and greet his favorite patch of snowdrops but the tinkering sound of bells made him stop in his tracks. cautiously walking slower to his destination the tinkering sound of bells morphed into something else...something like...giggles? little woojin gasped, because he was sure he was hearing someone giggling now. he had never seen any other kid here except himself! oddly enough, the giggles still held a tinge of a little bell. woojin imagined the bell to be a tiny thing, it would chime and emit a lilting sound -- this sound. getting excited, woojin started running, his boots making splashes as he got mud all over them.

somehow, woojin felt that he was running far much more than he usually should to get to his favorite patch of snowdrops. or maybe he was lost? the rain’s downpour seemingly doubled and his energy and excitement suddenly came to a drop. should he just give up and go back to the cottage? the giggling little bell had stopped and woojin thinks maybe they went back to their cottage too, wherever their cottage is. the disheartened woojin made to turn and walk back but his spin halted halfway when a glimmer caught his eye. moving closer to the glimmering thing on the bush, he realized what he was looking at was a clump of silver flowers. it was teeny-weeny and had pointy edges.  wait. now, woojin was confused. he doesn’t remember ever seeing these little shiny miniscule flowers. there was a whole lot of them too! in a curvy, endless column. how far do these precious little glowing flowers go? spirit awakened, woojin continued on his adventure, but this time following the horizonless silver flowers. upon hearing the same tinkering giggle, he continued walking, following the flowery silver path. with his eyes glued to the flowers as guide, he had no choice but to stop and look up when there were no more flowers following the last one in line. and what he saw as he raised his head made his breath stop.

and the same little silver-pointed flowers were thrust in his face.

-

woojin wakes up with a groan and checks his phone, it tells him that the time is 5:45 AM. he slumps in his bed and mushes his face into his pillow. what was that? it all felt too real.

but maybe what woojin saw was an illusion. maybe it was merely a trick of the mist drawn by the trickling of the rain. maybe the wisp of a boy with almost snow white hair and fluttering, shimmering butterfly-like wings was all in his mind’s eye. it was a dream after all, no matter how real it felt.

woojin doesn’t think he can get rid of that giggle out of his head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> first meetings and nostalgia.

the sky was a pretty blue today, with little tufts of white sparsely floating around that gave woojin an all encompassing view of the shade it was commonly known for. it’s been quite some time since woojin had last traveled this empty, bumpy track of earth. to his right were just trees, trees, and more trees. the same goes for his left. woojin was never putting off this trip, definitely not. his grandma did say he could always come back to her cottage even if she wasn’t there because she needed to stay in the hospital now. the little him had complained then because, “grandma, how can i stay there all by myself?” to which she answered she meant he could go back there if he wanted to when he was older, if ever he wanted a break from the city life. tiny him did not understand it then, but he sure does now.

though he would be lying if he said that was the sole reason for this whole trip.

the too real dreams continued and since park woojin was a man of action, he immediately filed for a leave when he could and packed up some things for his not-so-spontaneous trip. 

-

woojin tripped and fell face first into the mud. where did that rock come from? he doesn’t remember seeing anything in its place when he passed here just a while ago. he was a big boy now (sure, he was like, almost ten, semantics) but he knows what he knows and he’s sure that that rock wasn’t there moments before. 

it’s been happening a lot. whenever he would be running around or playing outside, random things that weren’t in the places he passed by before would appear on his way back and it just...frustrated him? confused him? intrigued him? 

because it wasn’t always a rock that tripped him would magic itself into existence. 

sometimes, it was a pretty, shiny rock that would gleam when he raised it to the sun. sometimes, it was a single flower that he hadn’t seen before, one that he’d somehow find his way to its home bush the next day. sometimes, it was a weird silver ornament thing that woojin didn’t really know what to do with but kept anyway. and sometimes, like today,  it was just a plain old rock that’s sole purpose was to trip him. 

huffing, he got up and continued on his merry way to explore some more, wiping off all the mud on his face with the face towel his sweet grandmother had kindly slipped inside his tiny red backpack. speaking of his sweet and kind and generous and best at cooking (he never told that to his mom, of course) grandmother, woojin feared that maybe she was too lax in this place. it was dangerous, living out here all alone. to woojin, who was always told he was rather sharp for a kid with scary instincts, it was obvious that there were some other _people_ living here. not, not fairies or forest spirits like his grandma would tell him whenever he came back to the cottage with his day’s souvenir. woojin’s a big boy now, sure he loved _Peter Pan_ , but he can determine fantasy from reality. 

“looks like the fairies like you, woojin!” his grandma said whilst looking at the orange-blue pebble he presented to her.

“what if maybe some other kid dropped it?” he tried to suggest. again. like the last six times he had brought some peculiar item back with him. 

“hmm, if there had been some other families living here, i should’ve met them already, don’t you think? after all i’ve been living here for -”

“a _loooong_ time, yes i know.” woojin finished for her with a little frown marring his features. he just wanted some other kids to play with. or prank. definitely prank, that seemed so much more fun. 

the grandmother only smiled at her cute little grandson’s frustrated face. 

-

when other colors besides green and brown started entering his vision, he silently said his thanks to the higher beings at finding the familiar path he was looking for. everything honestly looked and felt the same. from the rows upon rows of light greens and dark greens and all the greens in between splashed with bizarre flowers he never really learned the names of, to the eerie feeling of being watched. 

a ringtone blared and seemed to echo throughout the whole area. woojin almost reached for his phone when he quickly realized that no, that wasn’t what his phone sounded like when he had a notification.  

-

“his hair is red! oh, not completely red, an ashen dark pink? maroon?”

“i don’t see how his hair color matters.”

“are you so pissy this morning because youngmin hasn’t replied to you yet?”

“no. as if.”

“mmhm, keep saying that to yourself.”

“you little-”

“don’t you think he looks familiar?”

“...he kind of does, actually.”

“oh, oh! what if he’s that boy!”

“what boy?”

“y’know! that boy! the boy that -”

“...”

“oh fuck!”

“hyung! why didn’t you put your phone on silent?! youngmin has the worst timing!”

“i, i don’t know, hey, don’t stand up! - shit he’s going here!”

“what -”

 -

the bushes rustled as two males appeared from behind it, arguing. upon closer look, woojin realized that the both of them looked...they looked pretty. the taller one of them, holding a ringing phone had cotton candy pink hair and angular features. he was beautiful in the way high fashion models in equally as high class magazines were, with his plump lips and perfect teeth. the other male’s wine red hair accentuated his striking and distinct facial attributes. his jaw was defined and his face was honestly so small woojin wanted to measure it out of curiosity, it was the kind of face that one wouldn’t easily forget. 

“who are you people?” the moment the words came out of his mouth, the phone had ceased ringing as well. 

the two bickering pretty boys stopped their little banter and turned to him with matching scrutinizing expressions on their (what the- were they _glimmering?_ ) faces. 

“oh my god! look at that tooth! it’s him!” the smaller one said, jumping up and down where he stood, much to woojin’s confusion as he had never seen these two people before and to the pink-haired one’s dismay who was trying to shush his bouncing friend. sensing woojin’s confusion, the taller one of them cleared his throat and began speaking.  

“i’m kim donghyun and this here is lee daehwi. we actually saw you uh, earlier, walking. that’s why daehwi is excited.” the smaller- daehwi, looked at his friend in confusion before realization flooded his face and he quickly turned to woojin with a bright smile.

“i just like the color of your hair so much! i’m thinking of switching up my hair color soon, see.” daehwi exclaimed, eyes glimmering with something woojin was already sure he didn’t like. 

the energetic male then immediately launched into an explanation of why they were here, saying that they lived somewhere near and was just going for a stroll. and oh? you’re going to stay in _that_ cottage? let us walk with you there. while donghyun was looking at him warily the whole time.

woojin wanted to ask more questions -- _a whole lot more questions_ \-- but couldn’t seem to get them out. defeatedly, he muttered a thanks to the offer and followed their lead. while walking with them he couldn’t help but sarcastically think to himself,

 _mhmm. these guys aren’t suspicious. at all._  

-

once the two had left woojin in peace, thankfully with the promise of returning in the afternoon since he wanted to ask them a whole load of things, he let out a sigh and looked around the cottage he shares many fond memories with. it was a rather small place, but it was sturdy and had the aroma of nostalgia. in here too, woojin observed that nothing had changed. the small kitchen space was still bathed in sunlight from the little window right in front of the tiny kitchen sink. the colorful tea set his grandma was always so fond of was still in display on the top shelf of the cabinet containing all the other utensils. the polka dot themed pots and pans were still stacked neatly by the corner of the small kitchen counter, though now it looked a bit dusty. 

letting his eyes roam over the rest of the living space he noticed three doors and made a mental note in his head to check on the rooms later. as his eyes fell upon the covered L-shaped couch situated right in front of the fireplace, the worn plain navy blue carpet sitting under its feet, he gently placed his backpack and duffel bag on the floor, walked towards the couch, removed its cover and flopping on the old thing, he let his eyes fall shut out of their own accord. 

-

a series of knocks and a now familiar voice shouting _woojin-hyung_ woke him up. still a bit groggy, he stumbled some as he stood up and headed to the door, opening it with a snap. an audible gasp reached his ears making him rub his eyes to clearly see what was in front of him. he couldn’t help but gasp as well as  he saw the the ethereal being looking at him with wide eyes and parted lips. he couldn’t help it either as he blurted,

“the fairy.”

the three standing at woojin’s door couldn’t help how their bodies went stiff at the words spoken. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry if it seems really slow-paced?? hahaha. but tbh the pacing was like, 10x slower in my first draft of this chapter as compared to this one so there's that (like, that whole dialogue only part? yeah that was supposed to be so much different hahaha). anyway, thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> no anticipation, just apprehension.

for donghyun and daehwi, it was extremely obvious how their friend had a little crush on the boy. and it was normal to have crushes, they were young fairies and the concept of that was only recently introduced to them. so no, it wasn’t weird. it wouldn’t be if only their friend didn’t harbor it for a human. 

a human kid, with a very distinctive snaggletooth and an immense supply of energy. 

they both watched as their mutual friend’s wings fluttered in delight when he finished his little silver “sculpture.” they also watched in amusement as the other fairy raised it to their eye-level with a triumphant grin, expectant. the two stared at it very hard for a long time silently.

“well? what do you guys think of this bird?” 

ah, so it was a bird.

“very cute, woongie” donghyun said with a slight smile and a meaningful glance towards daehwi.

“yeah, i agree!” daehwi said with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm, earning him another pointed glance from donghyun but quickly dissolved when woong thanked them with a bright smile and said,

“i’m going to place this somewhere now, want to come with me?”

before donghyun could even respond, the youngest of the three swiftly responded with a no, saying he and donghyun still had to finish some chores today. woong tilted his head a bit, confused as to why they still had some chores when they usually finished them by now but just shrugged. with a little good luck and see you later, the excited fairy went on his way.

when the head of silver was out of sight, the taller fairy turned to look at his younger companion, eyebrows raised in question. 

“are we going to talk about how we should try to stop our precious woongie from giving gifts to the human?” donghyun started, thinking this was going to be their topic of discussion. 

the other fairy looked at him with a shocked look then shook his head, tutting his finger at the older. 

“no, we’re going to talk about how we’re going to convince woong to actually talk to the human!” at that, donghyun gasped.

“what are you saying? you know we’re not _ever_ supposed to show ourselves to humans, daehwi! who knows what will happen,” 

“he doesn’t have to know what we are, your highness. and you have to admit it was fun setting up little traps for him, too. it was funny to see him try to figure out what happened every time.” he responded, a slight chuckle leaving his lips.

it was the pink-haired fairy’s turn to shake his head and with a sigh said, “you know i don’t like it when you call me that and how old are you again? how can someone so young be so smart and evil, you’re scaring me,”

“but your highness, we’re both kids. and what else do you expect from your future advisor?” daehwi said with confidence, puffing his chest a bit. 

“well, my future advisor, though i don’t know if i’ll ever need one-”

“i’m sure you will! your twin is obviously interested in other things-”

 “-as i was saying,” donghyun continued, “how are we going to completely hide woong’s wings? i don’t think covering it up will be enough and we haven’t mastered how to make them disappear yet.”

it was silent for a few moments before daehwi spoke again, “see, this is why you’re going to be the king someday.”

-

woojin couldn’t believe his eyes, he had just arrived and he had already found the fairy. no doubt about it, he would recognize those eyes even if they were on an older, slimmer, prettier, more beautiful, lovely,   

“-you saying?” the fairy said with a chuckle, averting his eyes.

woojin couldn’t help but think _damn he sucks at lying it’s so cute._

“you’re a fairy, right? with the glimmering wings and little bell laugh. i remember you, vaguely. with the silver flower trail and all.”

there was silence as the three looked at each other, communicating to each other with their eyes for a minute or two before woojin felt it appropriate to cough to let them know he was still very much there.

finally, it was daehwi who decided to speak (more like laugh loudly by himself unprompted) looking at woojin with an amused glint in his eyes saying, “what are you saying? fairies? pfft-”

the youngest of the three waved his hands around, making the other two laugh along with him. donghyun gestured for the rest to follow him, deciding to end the conversation at that. “let’s head to the river we were telling woojin about earlier.”

the two followed without question and woojin couldn’t help but feel out of the loop. they brushed off his proclamation just like that. to him, it could only mean one thing - all three of them were fairies. it would also make sense given how weirdly shiny they are, woojin mused.

chatter between the three forest locals filled the space while they were all walking to the river. woojin couldn’t help but keep looking at the silver haired fairy, _woong_ , he had learned after a quick introduction that just went woojin, woong. woong, woojin. as if introducing them to each other was just a passing thought.

woong sometimes looked at him too but everytime their gazes met he averted his eyes, much to woojin’s dismay. because again, he really has the prettiest eyes.

the river was surrounded by rocks big and small, the crystal clear water ran. woojin immediately took the chance when he saw that woong sat alone by a rock while the other two were busy having a heated conversation. something about allocation and housing? 

he wasn’t sure how to start this, what would be the greatest conversation starter of all time, really?

woojin went with “hey,”

woong turned to him and a small smile tugged at his lips. “hi!”

he’s all cheery and blushy and park woojin wants to hug him. tight. 

“uh... what do you like to...do around here?” woojin asked albeit awkwardly. he found out it didn’t really matter how he said it because woong’s eyes lit up and he started talking with enthusiasm.

“i like making sculptures! like, big and small ones. before i could only make really little ones,” he gestured with his hands, his finger almost pinching. 

“but now i can make really big ones! it’s so fun to make things, you know? I also try to cook but donghyun and daehwi tell me i should just give up on that one.” he pouts and looks to woojin. 

woojin, who is frozen and eyes now fixated on the other’s pouty lips. the story did seem to match though, it all makes sense. he digs his hand in his pocket and pulls out a small silver trinket. he assumes it’s an animal, he’s just not sure what.

he holds it up to woong’s eye level and woong can’t hide the shock on his face.

“you mean you make something like this?” woojin looks directly at woong’s face but woong is too focused on the silver little thing. he does feel a bit bad for pulling this on the seemingly innocent guy but woojin is sure now that he’s right in front of him. 

woong is his fairy. 

and yes, he believes they exist. the startled one he’s facing is enough proof of that.

it suddenly becomes too quiet as woojin fights a one-sided stare off until,

“you kept it!” 

(tired groans are heard in the background, but neither of the two notice it.)

the fairy - who just indirectly outed himself - looks to woojin with the brightest smile and maybe woojin feels a little bad for doing this to prove to himself he wasn’t going crazy.

it takes a few more seconds before woojin is able to make his mouth work as he says, “yes. i kept it...this, this is from you right? from so many years ago.”

woong nods vigorously but stops as if he was shot when his gaze lands to somewhere behind woojin.

donghyun and daehwi are suddenly right behind woojin and before he can even react daehwi blows something on his face. woojin thinks he hears a _good night_ and a _sorry_ but he can’t stay awake to see who said which.  


	4. Chapter 4

_"what are these flowers?” woojin asks as woong skips a few steps ahead of him. they’re on a walk along the path of the little silver pointed flowers. woong reaches his arm out as if to pluck one of them but ultimately decides not to, turning to woojin instead._

_"these are my flowers. i accidentally made them, that’s actually how i became friends with donghyun and daehwi.” woong then pauses, as if recalling a memory and shakes his head. a fond look is on his face._

_woojin stands beside woong, their hands brushing. he stares at the peculiar flowers, fascinated. “you get to name them then right? have you thought of one?”_

_as they both stare transfixed at the twinkling flowers woong holds woojin’s hand. “i have a name in mind for it but i want to be sure when i name them,”_

_(a kiss to the cheek and the sound of bells)_

_“so until that time they’re just…”_

_-_

_they’re not even trying to whisper_ , is what woojin thinks as he keeps his eyes closed and listens to the conversation between the other three occupants of the room.

“i don’t think it was necessary to use that on him, daewhi. why did you let him?” it’s woong’s voice, and woojin likes to imagine the fairy was saying this with a pout because that’s how it sounds like.

a sigh then, “honestly? he’s been bugging me to test it out for days. this was the perfect opportunity.” someone gasps, probably woong and daehwi chuckles.

“and wasn’t it awesome? it worked perfectly fine! now we just wait for him to wake up to know how long it lasts.” 

woojin, being the man of crazy sharp intuition he is, knows all three of them are probably looking at him now. he keeps his eyes closed and continues to pretend to be sleeping. he hasn’t decided yet what to tell them first and truthfully, he’s not sure what he’s going to see when he opens his eyes, gotta prepare his heart and mind first for another world.

“he’s awake.” that daehwi one is really too good. still, woojin resolutely keeps his eyes shut.

suddenly, he’s being poked all over. on his ribs, the top of his head, his foot. a chorus of _wake up wake up human_ floats around in the air but still, he keeps his eyes closed. not because he’s scared or anything, he just needs to prepare himself first.

“he’s been evading our pokes by wiggling around. he’s obviously awake why is he still pretending?” donghyun says as the fingers poking his feet relent.

the fingers poking the crown of his head stops too and he hears woong’s voice softly from somewhere above him, “we’re not going to eat you or sacrifice you or anything!...if that’s what you’re thinking.”

ever so slowly he opens his eyes and automatically jolts up into a sitting position. 

(thank god woong was able to avoid colliding with his head, woojin wouldn’t know if he’d make it out alive of this if he didn’t)

frantically looking around, woojin discovers he’s in a...decidedly normal bedroom. it’s plain and looks bare with white curtains and white walls, some paint chipping to reveal speckles of brown. there’s a single table on one corner of the room and the windows are open, sheer curtains billowing in letting fresh air in. woojin looks at the other people in the room with him, all of them with different expressions on their faces.

daehwi looks as delighted as ever, like he wants to ask him tons of questions but isn’t sure how to even begin.

donghyun looks tired, one of his eyebrows in an arc judging woojin for his act.

and woong looks worried with his downturned lips.

“what were you expecting? a bungalow made of only leaves  and fireflies as the only light source?” it’s as if donghyun read his mind but woojin just shakes his head. his wings flutter and he laughs and wait-

his _wings,_ his golden and silver almost translucent looking wings flutter and woojin is definitely fascinated. the golden wings look regal and screams sophistication and royalty.

he looks to the other two and sees their wings are in different colors with intricate and unique patterns swirling and sparkling, hues running like rivers trapped in a painting.

daehwi’s wings are in a predominantly bright red, varying shades of it with lights and darks and maybe some yellows and golds mixed in too. it looks like what passion and determination would be if it were wings.

then, soft colors. when woojin’s eyes land on woong’s wings that’s all he sees. sunlight yellow,  periwinkle blue, and cherry blossom pink. his wings look like a mash of colors he’d associate with things cuddly and adorable, like stuffed toys. woojin looks at the set of wings and thinks of innocence and pure happiness, little wins and other things.

he doesn’t notice how long he’s staring until woong shies his wings away and lightly flies? or is the more accurate term floats?  to donghyun’s side. 

but then donghyun’s eyes considerably darken, “hey, good job waking up. but unfortunately, we’ll have to make it as if you never met nor saw us.”

woojin was about to voice his objection but at the same time woong tugs on donghyun’s sleeve. “do we have to?”

the two friends have another silent conversation with their eyes and donghyun places his hands on woong’s shoulder, “you know the rules, woong.”

woong’s face shutters and woojin feels like he has to do something. 

“i can promise not to tell anyone!” he tries, and they all turn to face him. “i know my words aren’t enough but maybe we can make...a contract or a pact?”

they all look stunned at his suggestion and a grin slowly starts to form on the youngest’s face. “that can actually work! but i’m 100% sure you don’t know what you’re going to get yourself into forming a pact with one of us.”

woong and donghyun look at daehwi weirdly but woojin doesn’t notice it, only focusing on the idea that it’s possible for him to keep his memories intact. daehwi waves his arm around at his friends and smiles at woojin, “you have to choose one of us to make a pact with.”

a no brainer for woojin. he immediately looks to woong and sees the other’s eyes considerably widen. for some reason, woong looks to daehwi  before stepping forward. he extends his right arm to woojin as if asking for a handshake. woojin grasps his hand, marveling at its softness. donghyun chooses this moment to step forward and clears his throat. 

“woojin you have to state your promise. that you won’t tell anyone about anything you saw here.” woojin doesn’t let his eyes stray away from woong as he says his promise. after he’s stated it clearly donghyun addresses woong, telling him to state the punishment woojin will receive if he were to break his promise.

it feels like an eternity before woong says anything. 

“if you break your promise you’ll...turn into a bear.” 

an awkward silence looms over them until daehwi adds, “you’ll have to be together for at least half a day for the next seven days to complete the contract, by the way.”

woojin tries to imagine himself as a bear and decides he’d make a cool one. he expects something to happen after his punishment is set, maybe something striking him or an explosion, a mysterious ray of light but nothing really happens.

maybe he’s just expecting too much.

-

the next few days, woojin is taken on day tours to parts of the forest he had never known existed and never would have on his own. donghyun proudly shows him a beautifully structured picnic area with old tree trunks as tables and chairs. the area is open but has a pattern of different animal shaped bushes, flowers of all kinds magically appearing even on just one bush. there are water stations spread out on little marble sinks strategically placed in between three to four table and chair sets. daehwi shares how alive the place is most especially on their weekly makers day where the whole community gathers and makes things together, sharing and exchanging ideas. 

they also lead him to a special garden much deeper within the forest. it has a low golden fence as a barricade but apparently isn’t accessible to everyone as this is where they grow special plants, herbs and flowers. the ones that are preserved and used for healing and magical things, maybe used for potions and things they’re not telling woojin. he doesn’t even know where to focus, the garden is vast and wide like a whole forest on its own. donghyun walks around and when anything catches his eyes he says things to daehwi, the younger immediately taking down notes and offering his opinion. woong pitches in too once in a while. honestly, woojin doesn’t understand what they’re talking about at all. he doesn’t know what this darker shade of pink on this peculiar flower means nor can he predict what a moon flower can add to a number 5219. he figures it’s okay that he doesn’t because it’d be weird if he did. 

woong catches him looking a little lost and offers him a tiny smile, asks him if he wants to go to a different section of the garden, just the two of them while donghyun and daehwi debate the effects of a blue violet to a mix of sunflowers and dandelions and terms not from the common man’s dictionary. 

being with woong is relaxing, woojin discovers. they walk past a field of white carnations in silence before woong apologizes out of nowhere. 

woojin is confused, “what for?”

“for dragging you into this. if i hadn’t tried to make a connection with you back then...” woong looks sad now, downcast eyes and nervous steps. it looks wrong on him, woojin thinks. 

“you don’t have to apologize. if anything, i’m glad you did, really.” woojin makes woong look at him by placing his hands on woong’s face, gently tilting the shorter’s face up. woojin doesn’t know where he’s getting the courage to do this, they had barely met but woojin _feels._

he feels so much and wants to make woong understand that he’s glad, he really is - that woong made him little silver structures and left him mysteries of the world contained in shining little rocks. woong searches his eyes and finally he smiles like sunshine waking, says a tiny _okay_ and they leave it at that.

donghyun and daehwi would later find a giggling woong and an animated story-telling woojin seated on the ground beside a patch of growing purple lilacs. 

-

the days (or was it weeks?) pass and woojin doesn’t realize how long he’s been there. he slotted in so comfortably that sometimes he forgets that they have shimmering wings and glow in both the sunlight and moonlight. he’s struck by the realization as he heaves planks of wood over his shoulder and watches woong flutter around with only one to two pieces of wood to add to his pile. they’re apparently building a new shed for gardening materials. woojin woke up, got dressed and got dragged by an insistent daehwi saying things like _let’s put your muscles to use you aren’t going to do anything today are you?_

he notices woong looking at him every now and then only to wait for him to stumble on air (literally) and look away with pink tinting his cheeks and feels proud of himself. the muscles are definitely put to good use today.

but at the back of his mind he can hear a _you can’t stay here forever_ and tries his best to ignore it. it works, mostly. 

(but maybe not enough.)

-

when he isn’t dragged to help out on a new project or scheduled for a tour, he and woong go on walks. they walk to the pond and talk about fish and their importance to their biome. they walk to the special garden and talk about how donghyun and daehwi are amazing and are going to do great things for their community in the future. they walk along the seemingly never-ending trail of silver little pointed flowers and talk about how cool it is that they’re talking to each other now. they walk back to woojin’s grandmother’s cottage and talk about the circus act in woojin’s stomach whenever woong gets near and the ticking time bomb that replaces woong’s heart when he notices woojin looking at him a certain way.

they talk about a lot of things and wake up next to each other in woojin’s old rickety bed with red high on their cheeks but gazes soft and understanding, hands intertwined like they were made to be that way.

-

the day starts weird because donghyun is nervous. daehwi and woong are unbothered by it but woojin is. whenever donghyun is in the vicinity he exudes some kind of aura. he stands like royalty (which he is, as confirmed by both his friends). daehwi takes one look at his face and explains, “someone named youngmin is visiting us today. he’s a photographer, likes to take pictures of nature. donghyun never really told us the whole story of why he’s acting like a tour guide of this place whenever he visits.”  
  
donghyun rolls his eyes. “it seemed like the best option to do at the time? he doesn’t know the area but he saw a flower that shouldn’t exist. i told him i know my way around here and offered to accompany him whenever he wants to take pictures to make sure he doesn’t go to places he shouldn’t know about.”  
  
“you already said that. we want the reason you’re doing this. not that we don’t actually know, but.” woong teases and from the way the taller fairy reacted it was safe to assume that this has been a normal topic of conversation for the three. 

woojin looks at them shining in that way only fairies can and wonders how this youngmin person doesn’t suspect a thing.

-

youngmin is tall, reminds woojin of an alpaca and goes on tangents when talking to the fairy prince. he also spends much of his spaced out moments staring at said fairy prince which might be the reason why he doesn’t notice anything weird because he’s so focused on donghyun. 

but he’s a good and polite guy and woojin is comforted by the fact that there’s another human weird enough to want to spend time in an obviously unknown enchanted forest. he feels youngmin was somewhat relieved seeing another human (or maybe just a new face) too because he’s been friendly with him and talks to him about topics that used to be the norm. there isn’t anything about their conversation that he has to ask about to understand but when youngmin says in passing how the months had flown by so fast lately reality comes crashing back down to woojin. 

how long has he been here? he’s already done what he came here to do. he knows now for sure that he isn’t crazy and that woong exists, that he isn’t just some creation of his mind or an illusion. but now, woong means so much more to him, maybe a little too much and he doesn’t regret a single thing.

woojin isn’t able to get even a wink of sleep that night thinking of what he’s going to do now.

-

he doesn’t know how to bring it up, doesn’t even know how to start. he doesn’t want to leave yet but he knows he has to. he has a job to get back to, kids to teach how to dance, an apartment to clean, bills to pay, responsibilities he signed up for and a whole life in the city where mechanical birds fly overhead but he’s happy here. he wants to stay here but he knows he can’t just do that, but what he can do is arrange for it to happen. he can make it happen, he _knows_ he can but in his nervousness he ends up blurting out _i need to leave soon_ and woong stops dead in his tracks, stunned.

they were on another walk today, hands connected but when the three words left woojin’s mouth woong had let go. they were strolling in one of the most hidden parts of the forest. a cave of shining crystals rooting out from below and dripping down the arcs of the space. emerald greens and magenta, some crystal blues and whites protruding all around them. a wonder of the universe woojin was extremely elated upon seeing for the first time. right now in the middle of it all is woong with tears in his eyes and woojin is both devastated and in awe that woong is suddenly the only thing he sees and the cave he thought was a wonder of the universe had become nothing but a faded background.

“you’re going?” his heart clenches with his fists hearing woong’s broken whisper.

woojin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in and out. opens them and offers woong his hands, his palms facing up. thankfully, woong holds onto them tight and waits for woojin to speak.

“yeah, i am.” 

a pause and a hitched breath.

“but i’m going back here, to you. i just need some time to arrange things. make sure i can sustain myself here so i can stay with you and daehwi and donghyun and maybe youngmin when he gets together with the prince and realizes he’s flirting with a real fairy prince.” 

a wet laugh.

“i know we haven’t even been together that long, but woong. woong, i feel so much for you. so much i don’t know how to contain it in me anymore. i want to hold your hand all day and kiss you every waking moment if i could. and i’ll come back, i swear i will.”

woong releases his hands and woojin looks up in panic only to be tackled into a hug. the fairy’s voice sounds sad but hopeful, “you promise?” 

“i promise. this one is real this time.” and woojin wraps woong tighter his arms until he hears complaints of needing to breathe. once they separate and see each other’s tear-stained and puffy-eyed faces their laughs echo in the cave.

-

“it was a lie.” 

woojin looks to woong in askance, taking a bite of a fresh red apple. woong doesn’t look at him, instead letting his eyes wander the empty picnic area. tracing the animal shaped bushes in the air with his pointer finger.

“the whole pact thing. being cursed to turn into a bear if you expose us to anyone. daehwi just made that on the spot and donghyun and i went with it. you didn’t look horrified or afraid, didn’t give much a response at all that they were worried you knew it was all just a hoax.” his finger continues making shapes in the air as his eyes turn to woojin. 

“the seven day rule is a lie too. you can leave anytime you want and you don’t have to spend half the day with me.”

woojin continues to chew his apple in silence until he finishes it. only after he swallows does he talk, “why are you telling me this?”

he’s entranced watching woong’s hand stop their movement before picking up his own bright red apple. he plays with it, throws it in the air and catches it repeatedly before his hand changes trajectory and passes the apple to woojin who barely catches it right in front of his face, “i don’t like lying. i also think you already know the truth anyway.” 

“i do.” woojin hums and takes a bite of the new apple in his hand.

(they kept that conversation to themselves and continued to spend time with each other.)

-

when the day arrives, woong gives him a bundle of forget-me-nots messily tied together with twine and a small silver bear-shaped charm attached to a chain. woojin takes it with a skeptical look but pulls woong into a tight hug before kissing him in the most gentle, softest way he can. it’s the last one they’ll share for some time but hopefully not the last one forever. 

“aren’t you going to give me your flowers instead? you never did tell me what you were planning to call them in the end.” woojin says as he rests their foreheads against each other, taking in as much as he can of woong in the moment.

woong stands back and holds both of woojin’s hands in his, squeezing them once before looking woojin straight in the eyes. “you’re coming back here, right? this time, the answer is a prize if you keep your promise. i’ve already decided on the name but i’ll only tell you when you come home to me. so for now they’re still just that -”

(a kiss shared and the sound of bells)

“little flowers.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> an abrupt the end. was debating if i should split this into two chapters but ah it's done. cringed at the ending it's so lame i hate it but that was the first thing i wrote that made me write this whole thing at all haha.


End file.
